Hi everyone! Since many of you seem to know what your talking about (for those that have actually been to italy) and have very honest, blunt opinions, would you mind replying to this:<BR><BR>I plan to take a 3-month trip to Italy next year on a study abroad program and staying mainly in Florence but with trips to Venice, Siena, Assisi, Amalfi Coast, Rome, and few others. After the program, I plan to stay for two to three weeks to do some independent exploring. <BR><BR>Is Naples worth the stop?

Definitely, you hear about the crime there, but it is no worse than any other big city. Study up on it's history first and you will find it is fascinating.

Thanks...anything in particular that shouldn't be missed?<BR><BR>p.s. yes, i hear a lot about occurences of crime in naples (with the existence of crime families and such)...intimidating...got me a bit weary about visiting the city

Well, I wouldn't worry about organized crime familes, rather the organized pick pocket families or street ruffians. <BR>Yes, there are many wonderful museums and churches and the galleria. Do a little search here on Fodors and you will get an idea. <BR>Then when you have a little more info, you will get more detailed help, I am sure.

Go to Naples! Pompeii is nearby, as well as Ercolano. Hike Vesuvius and have a capuccino at the top. Visit the museum with finds from Pompeii, take the ferry or hydrofoil to Capri and the Blue Grotto, or the spa at Ischia, but most of all, have the pizza. It is the quintessential pizza of Italy with authentic mozzarella di bufalo. for a day trip, you can go to visit some Greek temples at Paestum (1.5 hours south). Very cool.<BR>Don't wear loose jewelry, don't wear a backpack, and hold tight to your purse, and you will be fine.

Hello,<BR> I hear that a statue called &quot;The Veiled Christ&quot; shouldnt be missed.

Naples is definitely worth a stop. It's a city that's alive with character as well as historical interests. I've visited many cities in Italy, but none have the vibrance of Naples. People there are friendly &amp; helpful and the food is great too. Never had any problems with pickpockets like you read on other posts for Italy. You just need to be observant like you would in any other big city. I will definitely visit Naples again.

I go to Italy all the time, have been to Naples twice - and would go back in a second. I find it one of the most vibrant cities in Italy. I love the food, the people, the beauty, and the history. Never felt at all nervous. Like any large city, you just can't look like a target.<BR><BR>I wouldn't miss it...<BR><BR>Dona

Hello I agree with Nancy :to enjoy Naples it is a good thing to study its history. I found it fascinating.<BR>Not to be missed specially if you will be spending three months in Italy.

Don't miss the archeological museum in Naples. Go to Taormina, Sicily if you can. Lake Como is very beautiful and so is the Cinque Terra and Portofino. I visited the Amalfi coast in '98, '00 and this year... love it! Put a thread out for Vincenzo, he lives in the Naples area and is very helpful. Take care, KK

For someone who loves to travel, experience and learn, every place is worth going at least once.

naples is definately worth a visit, fascinating. just be alert, everyone was friendly, great food and never had a problem.

Most people we encounted did not speak English but they did everything but stand of their heads to be helpful. We loved Naples and the people and we were very glad we went there.<BR>

speaking of naples, can anyone recommend inexpensive lodging ideas?

Maybe we were just unlucky, but apart from Archeological Museum our experience in Napels was awful: my friend's watch was stolen from his wrist in a split of a second by a guy on the motorbike in the center of Napels with hundreads of people around, who did not even approach to help or called for police. They just murmured: bad luck...ok. <BR>Moreover, we witnessed shooting on one of the main squares of the city... <BR><BR>Anyway, you can say it was bad luck, but please take our experience into consideration and be careful

If you are comfortable in a big, chaotic, vibrant, noisy, beautiful city, visit Naples and plan to stay at least a week. If you just go to see some sights and don't leave time for just wandering around and hanging out, you really won't get the true, delicious flavor of Naples. If you keep your wits about you (just as you do in New York--my hometown)and then relax, you'll have a wonderful time.

Naples is all that has been said: vibrant, crazy, reckless, scary and beautiful. They have been trying to improve the incidences of street crime (which are still high) but with as much poverty as is there, it's a fact of life.<BR>No jewellry, cheap watch. Younger and especially blond women are very often hassled if alone. Get out of the train station area quickly.<BR>OK, that said, there are several &quot;art walks&quot; that include the Archaelogical museum, the Veiled Christ (it is staggeringly beautiful), the Doll hospital (one of my favorite stops!), and other vital places. Incredible food, great markets. A short hop to Ercolano (about 20 m. by the Circumvesuviana-the commuter train around the base of the Bay of Naples) which is usually less crowded and more immediately rewarding than Pompei. Pompei is about 45m. away and staggering to the imagination-do get to the Arch. Museum first to see the model of Pompei and the surprising things pulled from there: fabric, helmets, glassware, mosaics. <BR>Another 15 minutes from Pompei (you want the stop for Pompei Scavi) is Sorrento-a heavily toruisty but beautiful spot. If you're nervous about staying in Naples, stay at Albergo Lorelei e Londres in Sorrento and travel into Naples from there. It's nearby the 18th C. museum and a short walk to &quot;downtown&quot; and the train. There are balconies overlooking the Bay of Naples and sunset with a birra or vino on the balcony isn't to be missed! They also have (or did 2 years ago) an excellent small restaurant in teh hotel. <BR>From there, if you're heading farther south, you can take the bus to the Amalfi coast or Paestum, and continue from there on the FS trains to Sicily.

a asked &lt;..can anyone recommend inexpensive lodging ideas?&lt;<BR><BR>Check the Fodor's recommendations. The Albergo Sansevero is inexpensive.

Thanks so much for all the comments!!! You've definitely answered my question--I take it that to skip Naples would be like skipping the very essence of Italy!<BR><BR>thank you, thank you, thank you!<BR><BR>by the way, someone mentioned something about not wearing a backpack to Naples---could anyone kindly explain why? If it's because of pickpockets, I was thinking of using a key chain to avoid easy access to backpacks by chaining the two zippers together. A backpack just seems to be the most convenient but any helpful suggestions/comments would be much appreciated.